We knew long before the draft process that the class of 2023 would be rich with quarterback talent. The NFL teams at the top of the board made sure that was true come Draft Night, as 3 of the top 4 picks were used on signal callers. And while they’ve all received their own knocks and criticisms, it appears that all three will be the starting QBs for their team come Week 1.
NFL: Young, Stroud, And Richardson Could All Start Week 1
No. 1 pick Bryce Young has won Carolina’s starting QB job.
No. 2 pick CJ Stroud is expected to start his second straight preseason game and appears in line to be the opening-day starter.
No. 4 pick Anthony Richardson has won the Colts’ starting QB job.
A rush to the rookies.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 15, 2023
Bryce Young and CJ Stroud were always considered to be the top two prospects in the field. Young was a former Heisman Trophy winner who was coming out of the successful Alabama program, and he earned more than a handful of accolades for his 2021 season performance. The knock on Young was always his size, which threw up a red flag for some NFL scouts.
But not those who work for the Carolina Panthers, who made Young the first overall selection.
He was followed immediately by Stroud, who was selected by the Houston Texans. He didn’t have the decorated collegiate career that Young had, but he was a Heisman candidate himself in both of his starting years at Ohio State, throwing for over 8,000 yards to go along with 85 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Richardson Was The Big Surprise Of The Draft
Colts name Anthony Richardson starting QB for regular season. pic.twitter.com/7SOHMKIyB2
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2023
To see both of them win the starting jobs for Week 1 of their rookie seasons is impressive, but the real story is Anthony Richardson getting the nod for Indianapolis.
Some thought that the Colts reached in making Richardson a top-4 pick. He struggled with accuracy and timing during his college days, and it was unknown whether he had a true future in the NFL. But he has apparently been impressive in training camp, enough to earn the starting spot over veteran Gardner Minshew.
Should all three rookies start in Week 1, it will be the first time since at least 1990, and perhaps ever, that 3 quarterbacks taken in the top-4 are given the lead job immediately. The top 3 picks of the 2021 NFL Draft were all quarterbacks, but Trey Lance did not start for the 49ers in Week 1.
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